Ma'am, I have already told you many times that Sir Salaar is not at home. He is at the university," Aslam exclaimed with a tilted head.

"How dare you lie to me! He can't be at the university at this time," Leena exclaimed, exasperated. Though Aslam was bound by his duty, Leena was annoyed with him for not letting her inside the portion so she could search for Salaar herself.

Previously, she had restrained herself from meeting Salaar because of the ban Nazli had imposed on Malik Villas, and the one Salaar had imposed at the university. She still remembered what Salaar said when she was in the hospital.

"Salaar, I don't want anything from you-no relationship, no friendship. I just want to meet you once a week, even if just for a few minutes. Please. I can't live without you. I will die if you cut all the strings. Can't you just give me that in return for my immense love?"

Lying on the hospital bed with tears in her eyes, Leena had begged Salaar. He had no choice but to agree.

"Okay, I will come to you. Promise me that you will not come to my university or my portion," Salaar relented, knowing it was the only way to pacify her; otherwise, she would follow him everywhere.

Salaar had promised to meet her every week but had forgotten in all the mess created by his mother and Fahad.

"Leena." She heard a voice coming from behind her. She turned and found Fahad staring at her.

"Oh, it's you," she said, gazing at him resentfully, having mistaken him for Salaar.

"Salaar is not here. He's at the university, hosting the sports gala," Fahad informed her in a firm voice.

"What? Salaar, hosting events? That's so unlike him," Leena said, amused. She was thrilled by this new development.

"Salaar is not the same Salaar we knew before. He has changed now. It would be better for you to stop following him because he is out of our reach now," Fahad uttered sternly. He didn't want to involve himself with this mad girl, but seeing her so desperate for Salaar, he couldn't help but offer her a gentle warning.

"I wish I could stop following him." She smirked, letting out a sigh that revealed her agony.

"I don't know what happiness is. From the day I fell for him, my happiness has only been in being near him. When someone praises my beauty, I think, 'What's the purpose of this beauty if I've failed to win his heart?' I am destined to follow him, and I can't help it," she shrugged, tears welling in her eyes, her voice slurring with the intensity of her inner turmoil.

Fahad suddenly felt sympathy for this heartbroken girl.

"Leena, don't go to the university. You'll only be more heartbroken," he advised.

Fahad was aware of Salaar and Zarmeena's friendship and didn't want Leena to see them close, knowing it would devastate her.

Leena sensed something in his pensive expression and nodded.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Salaar looked stunning in his stylish black Shalwar Qameez suit. Many admiring eyes followed him, but he was scanning the crowd, searching for Zarmeena. The event was about to start, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello, brother. You look smashing in this black suit! Zarmeena will definitely fall for you today," Jawad winked mischievously, clearly impressed with Salaar's striking appearance.

"I don't know, Jawad. I've been looking for her since morning, but she's nowhere to be found. It's strange she worked so hard for this event, and now she's absent," Salaar replied, still glancing around.

"Salaar, the show's about to start. Zawyaar is already on stage," Sajid approached and spoke hastely.

"Sajid, have you seen Zarmeena?" Salaar asked anxiously.

"No, maybe she's on her way, or her bike might have broken down. She's been having issues with it for days," Sajid replied in a reassuring tone.

"But I've called her several times, and she's not even answering her phone," Salaar said, sounding more concerned.

"Okay, okay. You go up on the rostrum. I'll check on her," Sajid said, pleadingly. "Please," he added once again.

Reluctantly, Salaar nodded and headed to the stage that Zarmeena had beautifully decorated with the help of her gang. Sajid left to look for Zarmeena.

Salaar's and Zawyaar's presence on stage created a buzz of excitement among the audience, who clapped, cheered, and expressed their appreciation. Zarmeena's hard work had paid off-all the tickets were sold, with many students from outside the university in attendance. Everyone praised Salaar and Zawyaar's performance as hosts.

Apart from Salaar, another person was uneasy due to Zarmeena's absence-Sir Baqir, who needed her to help manage the audience.

At the end of the event, as Salaar and Zawyaar were leaving the stage amidst thunderous applause, Zawyaar's friend whispered something to him that caused his face to pale. With a sudden change in his expression, he collapsed onto a bench.

Junaid hurried over to Salaar and hugged him. "Congrats, brother, on winning the swimming championship and for your marvelous performance as a host," Jawad exclaimed delightedly.

"What happened to him?" Salaar asked, pointing at Zawyaar, who was sobbing and wiping his tears.

Jawad glanced at him and shrugged.

Suddenly, Salaar's phone rang, displaying Zarmeena's name on the screen. He answered immediately, not wasting a moment.

"Salaar, you're not worthy of my friendship. You've forgotten all the rules of Triple T and sent a marriage proposal. I'm giving you a chance-don't come in my way, or else you'll have to face my gang. I don't want to see your face again. If you have even a shred of pride, don't dare come in front of me again," Zarmeena's words felt like lava in his ears, burning his soul. Stunned, Salaar was speechless. His mouth refused to cooperate.

"Salaar," he heard Sajid calling as he approached.

"Zarmeena got engaged to her cousin, Captain Fareed," Sajid said.

Salaar's senses refused to accept what he'd heard. The memory of Zarmeena introducing him to Fareed that day in the hospital echoed in his mind: "Brother Fareed, this is my senior, Salaar Malik."

So that was the strange feeling he had about Fareed back then-the magnetic force pushing them apart.

"No, no, no! I can't lose her to Fareed. She's mine, only mine. Fareed can't take her away from me. No, no, Fareed, please. I will die... I won't survive without her. Zarmeena, don't go! Please, don't leave me. I can't breathe!" His heart screamed in agony for Zarmeena. Suddenly, his nerves couldn't take it any longer; his mind blurred, his senses failed, and his unconscious body collapsed to the ground.